Of same place



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SEALY, OF NEWARK, NEWV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMANDA SEALY,

OE SAME PLACE.

TREATING FUR OR WOOL FELT FOR HATS, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,651, dated August 20, 1889.

Application filed April 10, 1889. Serial No. 806,731. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SEALY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have'inven ted certain new and useful Improvements in Treating Fur 0r W'ool Felt for Hats, Bonnets, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to produce a figured surface of two or more colors upon fur or wool felt used in the manufacture of bonnets or hats for ladies, misses, children, boys, or men, whether made in one or more pieces seamed or stuck together or attached to a frame of some other or the same material. The desired colors are produced by dyeing, either in a dye-tub or with a brush, type, or stamp, or by a combination of those methods; and the invention consists more particularly in bringing out these colors into the desired configurations by means of heated sand or other appropriate granulated material applied directly or indirectly to the surface of the felt and subjecting the same to a pressure of, say, one hundred to one hundred and fifty pounds to the square inch, more or less, according to the circumstances of the case. The sand, instead of being applied directly to the felt, may be confined, if preferred, in a bag of suitable size and shape made of india-rubber or other suitable material, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and finally pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention the felt, after being dyed, is placed upon a form or block, of wood, metal, or plaster, having a curved, engraved, or embossed surface of the desired pattern or configuration. In this condition it is placed in a cylindenbox, or case somewhat be heated by steam before being covered by the sand or subjected to the pressure.

The

sand should also be heated by steam. This process applies when the pressure is applied to the out-er or exposed surface of the felt. In some cases pressure upon the inner surface of the felt is desirable, in which event the felt with the outer surface downward is placed in a metal shell having the desired form and configurationimpressed or engraved thereon and heated by steam. The heated sand is then poured upon the innersurface 0f the felt and the pressure applied as before. After the sand and the pressure have been removed, which may be in a few minutes, the block or form containing the felt is placed in a lathe, which should revolve slowly, and the felt be subjected to a grinding process against sand-paper or emery-paper, which may be held in contact with the felt by hand, or the sand or emery paper may be adjusted upon a roller or cylinder, which may be run at a high rate of speed under the control of the operator and be brought into contact with the felt, as desired, and as will be readily understood.

Two or more shades of color are obtained first, by coloring the felt throughout its thickness of the shade sought to be developed by the deepest cutting of the sand'paper, and then a color of a deeper shade is applied to the depth desired for the second shade, after which the felt is subjected to an extracting or stripping process, but only to a slight depth, depriving its surface of nearly all color. Then it is colored to this slight depth to a still deeper shade than either of the others, thus securing three different shades in strata through the felt.

\Vhen in ladies and misses hats or bonnets extreme brightness and variety of coloring are sought, the figures of the pattern chosen are raised by the pressure to which the felt is subj ected to different heights, or in some places depressed, making an uneven surface, which, when the said paper is brought into contact with it, must of necessity be brought to a level or smooth surface, thus bringing to View each stratum of color with their blendings, and completing the process. However, a still higher degree of finish may be obtained by ironing with a heated iron, the felt being first placed upon a smooth block or form. This process obliterates the embossing, making the inner surface of the felt next to the block perfectly smooth, but increasing the brightness and gloss of the outer surface, except those parts Which may have been out too deep for the iron to reach. These will retain their velvety appearance and by contrast show up with greater clearness. It may here be stated that the heated sand, instead of being applied directly to the felt, as above described, may be confined in a bag of rubber or other suitable material of the desired form and size, which is kept from bursting under the pressure by a metal hood completely iuclosing all, except the part Which is in contact with the felt.

This improvement is applicable to both stiff and soft hats, adds greatly to the beauty of the article, improves the quality, and diminishes rather than increases the cost, because by reason of the figures the felt does not require so much grinding of the surface as the plain finish does to make it acceptable. Moreover, it does not expose so readily slight blemishes or imperfections in the felt, and because there is less grinding or pouncing there is required less ironing, and the felt is stronger and more durable.

By this improvement there can be produced in the felt, if desired, a hardly-perceptible figure with a scarcely-discernible difference of shade between it and the body, thus securin g a very delicate effect, Which may be heightened by tinting the raised or depressed figures or flowers with indelible coloring.

When desirable, a fine nap may be produced upon the surface of the felt by carding or brushing prior to the heating process. This nap will of course be removed from the raised portions subsequently by the grinding process, but, being left upon the depressed figures, imparts thereto a fine velvety appearance, adding greatly to the beauty of the article.

Ilavin g thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process herein described of treating fur or Wool felt for the manufacture of hats, bonnets, &e., to Wit: first dyeing the felt with the colors desired, then placing the felt upon a block or form having the desired figures or ornamentation raised or in relief thereon or depressed therein, then covering the felt With heated sand or other granulated materials, then subjecting the latter to pressure, and then finishing the surface of the felt by grinding, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

2. The process herein described of treating i fur or W001 felt for hats, bonnets, &c., to Wit:

dyeing the felt with the desired colors, then producing a nap on the surface of the felt by brushing or carding, then placing the felt upon a block or form having the desired fig- 1 ures or ornamentation raised or in relief 5 thereon or depressed therein, then covering the felt with heated sand or other granulated material, then subjecting the latter to pressure, and then finishing the surface of the felt by grinding, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of April, 1889.

THOMAS SEALY. lVitnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, E. L. SHERMAN. 

